One of the great things about Apple's iPhone is that it has popularized the app store concept for a much, much wider audience than before.
So, end users have learnt to discover (previously unknown) applications and to install them, and from a broader point of view, to trust the all (app store) process and interaction lifecycle. So, such app stores have become part of the user experience as one main entrance point.
What I want to emphasize, here, is that it's good news for Linux if such app store become mainstream for Linux.
Indeed, iPhone success has proven non-Windows platform could attract a lot of users while providing (among other things!) app stores. So, iPhone success looks like quite good news for Linux, as Ubuntu, for example, has delivered or plan to deliver an app store! So, let's be positive, and think, that little by little, technology improvements paves the way for Linux adoption…

Apple's App Store for iOS dominates people's perceptions whenever you mention the phrase "App Store". But it's actually just one member of a much larger set of "app stores", most of which don't use that description, but all of which are used to distribute applications to specific audiences.This ...

I think the rise of decentralized social networks may come from an unexpected place: set-top boxes, due to IPv6 coming and server+storage capabilities of the new coming boxes.
I have written about it:
"Two ways to challenge the Facebook leadership"
http://www.jroller.com/dmdevito/entry/two_ways_to_challenge_the
As the owner of your set-top box, you could be then able to download and install, from an appstore, the (social network) tool that matches your need, and to better control it.

I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. It wouldn't be accurate to say there's something "wrong" with Facebook, and it's not like I don't spend a shitload of time ego-whoring around on Twitter too. Let's face it: I'm completel...